Paul Bickley – Why Vote? (N94)
Another General Election is upon us. Levels of apathy and disillusionment are at an all time high, and popular figures like Russell Brand are urging us to have no part in what he sees as a corrupt system. So the question we’re wrestling with is: Why Bother Voting? To help answer this we’ve turned to […]
Lewis Dartnell – How to Survive if You’re Left Behind (N93)
The Rapture is a curious doctrine, as it’s not in the Bible, anywhere! But let’s pretend it’s real, and you missed it! How would you survive the collapse of civilisation? Lewis Dartnell‘s day job is to search for life on Mars, but for fun he wrote The Knowledge: How to Rebuild our World from Scratch. It may […]
Rick Love – Love Your [Isis] Neighbour? (N92)
Jesus told us to love our enemies. But surely not the monstrous soldiers of Isis? With an almost constant stream of stories of burnings, beheadings, and mass slaughter, what could love possible look like in this context, and what good would it do?! Rick Love is President of Peace Catalyst International, and Associate Director of the […]
Mike Stygal – Dancing with the Devil? (N91)
Mike Stygal is a shaman (i.e. he whips himself up into an altered state of consciousness in order to hang out in the spirit world). He also happens to be the president of the Pagan Federation. Oh, and he’s married to a Christian. So he seems like the right guy to talk to about what Christians […]
Denis Alexander – Three-Parent Babies? (N90)
Apparently, Britain is set to become the first country to have three parent babies! It’s all to do with genetically modifying an embryo to prevent certain inherited diseases. But as with many scientific advances folks like us are left worrying about the scientific and ethical implications. Professor Denis Alexander is the Emeritus Director of the Faraday […]
Dave Tomlinson – How to Be a Bad Christian (N89)
Dave Tomlinson is effortlessly interesting and seems to effortlessly attract interesting people. He mentors the leaders of the now global atheist church, he took the funerals of two of the countries most notorious criminals, and his church is so cool even Bono turns up from time to time. But what we find even more interesting […]
Wendy VanderWal Gritter – Same-Sex Relationships (and How to Lovingly Disagree) (N88)
Wendy is passionate about creating ‘generous spaces’ in churches, where people with different understanding of sexuality can meet together without judgment, listen to each others stories and to seek Jesus together. Sounds great! But is it realistic? Have a listen and find out! Image provided by Wendy VanderWal Gritter. Used with permission. BOOKS Generous Spaciousness: […]
Paul Kerensa – Christmas Special (N87)
Just in case you’re suffering withdrawal symptoms from our 12 Days of Christmas series, and are slumped listlessly in front of your now empty mp3 player, we’ve got one final Christmas treat for you. We asked standup comedian and BBC comedy scriptwriter, Paul Kerensa, to record a wee Christmas Day message for you… Image provided […]
Jenni Williams – Why Not Women? (N86)
Nomad made a commitment a while back to have a lot more women on the show. So we thought it was about time we looked at the theology behind that decision. Jenni Williams lectures in Old Testament Studies in Oxford, is an Associate Minister in the Anglican Church, and wrote God Remembered Rachel: Women’s Stories […]
Alister McGrath – Apologising for the Faith? (N85)
Alister McGrath is the master of apologetics. With three doctorates under his belt and ranked among the ’20 most brilliant Christian professors’, he’s publically locked horns with the likes of Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins. But is there still a place in our culture for what many now see as an ‘old school’ overly rational […]
Richard Rohr – Catholic Spirituality for an Emerging Church (N84)
Richard Rohr is a Catholic priest and a Franciscan Friar. He is well connected and respected across Christian traditions (including the emerging church), so he seemed like the perfect person to speak to about what Protestants can gain from Catholic spirituality. Image provided by the Centre for Action and Contemplation. Used with permission. BOOKS The […]
Phyllis Tickle – Why a New Church is Emerging (N83)
The late Phyllis Tickle had her finger on the pulse of the emerging church like no one else. So if you’re interested in why the emergence of a new kind of church is both inevitable and necessary, and the vital role of the Holy Spirit in this, then tune in. And stay tuned after the closing […]
Sara Miles – Whose Table? (N82)
Sara Miles was an atheist. Then one day, out of idle curiosity, she wandered into a church, had a bite of bread and a sip of wine and God came crashing into her life. Her response was to take the principles of communion and set up a food distribution centre around the altar of her […]
Dave Andrews – How Not to be a Great Man of God (N81)
Dave Andrews has committed his life to serving the poorest and most marginalised people through small, local Christian communities. He’s clearly a man who knows Jesus intimately, and has gained tremendous experience and wisdom. So why doesn’t he consider himself, or even strive to be, a ‘great man of God’? Image provided by Dave Andrews. […]
Bex Lewis – How to Live Well in a Digital World (N80)
Dr. Bex Lewis is a research fellow in social media at Durham University and author of the popular book Raising Children in the Digital Age. So we thought we’d have a chat with her about what it means to live well in a digital world. Image by Mark Dodgeon. Used with permission. BOOKS Raising Children […]
Robin Parry – A Hope in Hell? (N79)
Robin Parry is an evangelical, but unlike many evangelicals he doesn’t believe that Hell and death is the end of the story for the majority of humanity. Instead he believes the Bible teaches that we will all ultimately be reconciled to God and enjoy eternity with him. Tune in for a fascinating conversation. Image provided […]
Krista Tippett – The Lost Art of Listening (N78)
Krista Tippett has built a career on listening. Through her award-winning public radio show and podcast, On Being, she listens to people from all religious and spiritual traditions, learning about what it means to be human and how to live life. So she seemed like the perfect person to speak to about the lost art […]
David Benjamin Blower – Songs of Prayer and Resistance (N77)
David Benjamin Blower is a prophet in the Old Testament tradition. Using music and the written word, he creatively and insightfully points the finger at himself and the world around him railing at the injustices he sees. So brace yourself for some hope-filled challenge! Image provided by David Blower. Used with permission. BOOKS Kingdom vs. […]
Gail Dines – Make Love Not Porn (N76)
Gail Dines is a professor of sociology and women’s studies. She has been studying porn and its effects on society for over 20 years, and has become one of the world’s leading anti-porn activists. Why has she dedicated so much of her life to this one issue? Because she believes the effects of porn is […]
Richard Wilkinson – Is Inequality the Root of all Evil? (N75)
Richard Wilkinson is professor of social epidemiology (that’s the distriThe Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone has caused quite a stir, because he believes he’s answered a very long-standing question. Why are we increasingly blighted by so many social problems when we’re materially better off than we’ve ever been? Tune in to find […]